Thursday, March 22, 2012

why I choose to own/carry a gun

As you all know from this post my husband signed us up for a concealed weapons course. A few of you were shocked and asked me if we live in a dangerous area. The answer is no. We probably live in one of the safest, po-dunk towns in Utah :) But that doesn't mean there aren't evil people in the world who like to take advantage of our safety. You never know when you might run into one of these evil men/women, but I intend to be prepared.

My dad is not a hunter so growing up we didn't have guns in the house. And you hear about accidental deaths involving guns from time to time, so I swore I would never have guns in my house either. And then I met him... a small town boy who LOVES guns! He has a gun safe the size of a panic room, I swear! (Which is a good thing... our guns will be locked up tight when we have toddlers running around our home.) Eric has taught me so much about guns. How to use them, how to take care of them, gun safety, etc. The more I learn the more comfortable I feel with them (and trust me, I still have so much more to learn). Please note: there's a difference in being comfortable with handling a gun, and being stupid while handling the gun.

A few people teased me when they heard we have a gun and I actually shoot it. I got the "don't accidentally shoot your husband" line, or "Courtney Brinkerhoff?? With a gun?" ha ha. I admit it... I am the ultimate girly girl and if you knew me before I met my hubs? You'd never guess I'd even touch a gun, let alone own one. But one of the first things you learn with a gun is that you only put your finger on the trigger when you're ready to shoot. There is a little "memory" patch etched in the gun above the trigger that you keep your finger on until you move it to the trigger. Safety people. You NEVER put your finger on the trigger except when you're ready to shoot the target. And for those of you who have a shot a gun, you know how powerful they are. Our gun has quite the punch to it and for me? It's a very violent feeling to shoot the gun. I've never felt that way with a .22 (or smaller guns) because there's nothing to it really. But there will be no accident's when I pull this trigger.

When we first moved here, I heard a door slam and I immediately went into a panic. I didn't realize that the slam wasn't loud enough to be coming from inside my house because I didn't know the new sounds of our home. My heart rate shot up and I just kind froze in a panic. Then I remembered our gun... what a relief to know that I could protect myself if someone did break in. It would definitely do me some good to take a few self defense classes, but honestly... If a man is trying to over take me he is probably going to succeed. I just don't have the strength to beat anyone bigger/heavier than me. If I have a gun in my hands I'm going to look more threatening and people probably won't want to mess with me, right? Right. I hope and pray that I never have to use a gun on anything living... but I would much rather be caught prepared than unprepared. I value my life and my body! I don't want some evil stranger to have control of me because I can't defend myself. So from here on out... I be packin' heat. ;)

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comments:

I think it is awesome you are learning how to use a gun. Seth keeps bugging me that we need to take similar classes when I see a groupon for it (especially since we live in a city). I'll have to check it out, though I am super nervous!

My husband has several guns. He is always trying to get me to go shooting with him so I can learn how to use it if I would ever need to. Guns honestly scare me beyond belief. I don't even like moving one (when our nephew comes over) with the safety on and nothing in the chamber. I know I will never get over that fear unless I know how to use one. They are scary to me!!

I don't blame you one bit! I'm hoping to take a concealed deadly weapons class in the near future too. My boyfriend is on night shift right now and I'm such a chicken when it comes to staying by myself. Each night I have a shot gun laying in my living room floor, then it moves to the bedroom with me. Lol! I've even considered putting a sign on the door that says "Armed & not afraid to FIRE!" I must say, I do live at the end of a dead end road w/ woods all around me. Kinda scary sometimes. Love your gun! Our pistol is currently at a friends house so that's why I'm stuck w/ the shot gun. :)

My Husband grew up in Blackfoot, ID and it was totally normal for them to have guns in the house. All the kids learned how to shoot at a young age. Whereas me? I grew up here in suburbia Seattle so it is far less common for people to own or even know how to shoot guns. But last Summer when we were in ID visiting my hubby's family - I shot some guns for the first time ever. It was weird but I didn't feel scared at all. Ever since then, my Husband has been trying to get me to agree to let him get his weapons license and have a gun in the house. I'm on the fence about it... especially with having kids now... but I'm thinkin' about it because you're right - you never know what evil is out there!!

Look at you girl!! Holding that gun like a pro! Don't mess with Courtney!! lol! I think it's awesome that you are taking the time to learn how to be comfortable around guns and use them properly!!♥ Kyna

my parents never had guns in the house while i was growing up, either... and i never expected to have them in my house...

but since i married a police officer my thoughts on that obviously changed. i don't really like shooting, but it's important to me to know how to handle a gun if need be.

unfortunately, i am somewhat paranoid now because i am no longer ignorant to crime. people don't realize that it happens EVERYWHERE. and just because you live in a "safe area" doesn't mean you shouldn't be prepared.

that being said, i hope i never, ever in a situation where i have to use a gun.

I think it's awesome! My husband makes fun of my because I'm always freaking out and hate hate being home alone. You just never know! I would like to think I'd put up a hell of a fight but carrying a gun would totally make me feel 10x's better then my little bottle of pepper spray!

You are so cute, Courtney. Even as a gun totin' little baddie! :) I love those last two pictures...you look like an action movie star.

I am so afraid of bad guys and gals in this crazy world we live in..but I'm also so afraid of guns. :( What to do?! You have the right idea, educating yourself on safety and being prepared. I need to do that, too. Until then, I guess I'll just hang on to my golf club. Ha. I'm fully prepared to hit someone with an iron rod! ;)

We both own guns in our house... I won a Walther P22 and my husband has a 9mm Glock. Our jobs don't permit guns (as we work in a hospital/university setting) but we do enjoy going to the range when we get a chance! xoxo A-

Good for you girlfriend! You look like a smokin' hottie with that gun too! ;)

We don't have a gun yet, but it is something we've discussed. I never had one in the house growing up, and it does freak me out a LITTLE bit, but I think if I'm trained in all the safety measures like you are, it will ease my mind.

PS- I have cousins who live in the middle of no where and it's always fun to shoot off guns on their property!

Great post!! Being the wife of a police officer, I completely agree. :) My hubs is always packing heat...and I'm thankful for it! He's always prepared for some crazy person to start roughing us up or worse...(and yes, even at church!).

We always had guns in the house growing up - and not the hunting kind. My dad always thought it was important for my brother and I to know how to use a gun because those accidental shootings are usually by kids who don't understand the difference between guns and toys. He kept the guns in one location, and the bullets in another - which further worked as a safety.

I was against guns in my home until I met "him", too. He bought me a 22 for Christmas one year and I enjoyed shooting targets in the dessert, and then he bought me a 9mm--my very own!! We took a concealed/carry class to and I was an NRA card carrying member for a year or two. (Why? I have no idea but thought it was cool-did nothing for me, but cool to say I ahd one I guess) I love to go to the shooting range, and surprisingly I have a great shot.

Although we have children in the house (5 and 13), we've taken our 13yr old to a gun class and he's all up on his safety, etc.

Nowadays I think it's a good idea--but I definitely wouldn't have said that 5 years ago.

I love this!!! I grew up around guns. My dad is a member of the NRA and has been shooting since he was a kid. He took me shooting for the first time when I was 9. I feel so much safer knowing I have a gun. My husband and I own several. We don't hunt, but we have them for our protection. And I truly do sleep so much better and feel so much safer knowing we each have a gun and know how to shoot them safely.

My hubby wants a gun for protection as well. I am 50/50 on it only because my oldest daughter has a bedroom at the far end of our house and what if she gets up in the middle of the night to get something, makes a noise and hubby grabs the gun (it's too dark in our house) and mistakes her for a bad guy. That's what I am afraid of. But I am all for having one. I don't know how to even shoot one to be honest. Kinda scary!!

I'm quite anti-gun, pretty much the same scenario as you. I didn't grow up with guns and I sure as hell never want one.

And even though I live in Johannesburg, South Africa, which (let's face it) isn't the safest city in the world, I still wouldn't want one in the house. I read so many article in our local newspapers about break ins and people being brutally attacked and assaulted because the robbers wants the keys to the safe to get more weapons and other valuables.

That thought scares me so much that I would rather be unarmed and without a safe in my house.

I am right there with you! I didn't grow up with guns but I married a cop so then I learned how to use it and knowledge is power! If you have them, you need to know how to shoot and be safe with them. I also agree that it is a reassuring feeling to have it just in case!!

good for you! as soon as we move out of utah we are definitely getting a gun as well :) Isn't shooting fun? My dad is a police officer so I grew up going to the shooting range with dad. Such good memories :)

good for you for packin heat! i myself have never shot a gun, other than a paintball fun, but i hope to give it a try one day! i have a lot of friends that are into shoot and gun collecting and even hunting, so its nothing new to me!

So cool! I don't know many females who like guns, but it's refreshing to know that I'm not the only one who enjoys shooting. I had the same hesitations prior to my first time handling a gun, but now I can't get enough. My favorite is a semi-auto AK-47. For some reason I like the feel of a rifle better than a handgun. Not ideal for protection, but still fun to shoot.